Lamp-grip.



G. W. GOODRIDGE.

LAMP GRIP. APPLICATION HLED JULY 13. 1914- Patented Decl12,1916.

vwantoz $11.51 W- C 'oo'vmnqa GILBERT W. GOODBIDGE, 0F ERIDGEPORT CGNNEC'IICUT, ASSIGNOR. TO THE BRYANT NECTIGUT.

LAMP-GRIP.

Specification of Letters ."atc1it. Patented Deg; 12, 1916,

Application filed July 13, 1914. Serial No. 850,793.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GILBERT W. Goonmnon, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairlield and State of Connectiout, have invented a. certain new and useful Improvement in Lamp-Grips, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lamp receptacles and particularly to means for gripping the lamp to prevent its its tendency to unscrew under-the influence of vibration and the pressure under which it is screwed into the lamp. V

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a broken side elevation of an electric lamp socket showing my invention embodied therein in one form; Fig. 2 is a perspective of the lamp gripping prongs shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is aperspectiv'e of a modiiied form of gripping prong; and Fig. 1 is a cross section showing the manner of its installation in a socket.

The present invention may be applied to any type of lamp receptacle, but is here shown embodied in alamp socket of known construction and comprismg the usualicapfi and shell 6 inclosing the insulating body 7, on which the wirc terminals 8 and 9 are mounted and carrying the screw shell terminal 10. The center contact is formed by the head 11 of the screw 12 and engages the center contact 13 of the plug base of the lamp 14. Surrounding the squared neck of the screw bolt 12 and clamped beneath the latter I have arranged a lamp gripping element 15 in the form of a disk of heavy spring metalhaving Wings 16 cut therefrom. These wings 16 are angled outwardly and are offset at their end'sto form prongs 17. Under normal conditions these prongs 17 extend beyond the center contact 11 so that when the lamp is screwed into the receptacle it first engages the prongs 17 and depresses the latter against the action ofthe spring wings 16 until the center contact 13 of the lamp engages the cen ceptacle. The Wings 16 are of sufficient strength to cause the prongs 17 to dig into the entering end of the lamp, thus gripping tation,

the latter and holding it against reverse r0}.

backing out due tofer contact of the reapply sufficient force to overcome'the resistance of the prongs 17. It is to be noted that the wings 16 are so formed that while they yield during the insertion of the lamp. the direction of the reverse rotation of the latter is such as to cause them to act as struts which oppose the movement of the lamp.

he prongs may be formed in any suitable manner, as for instance (Figs. 3 and 1) by striking them from a ring 18 joined by spring loops 19 to a base plate 20 secured by the head 11 of the bolt 12 beneath the wire-terminal 9. When the lamp 14 is inserted, its center contact 13 engages the ring 18 and forces it down over the center contact 11, during which movement. the prongs 17 dig into the end of the lamp base and thus grip the latter and hold it against backing out.

Various modifications of construction will readily suggest themselves and I do not limit myself to the details shown.

I claim as my invention I 1. 'Alamp receptacle having a screw co'nnection with the inserted plug end of a lamp, and havinga center contact, means for securing the latter in position in the receptacle and a prong elementindependent of said center contact but held in position by said securing means and. having a digging point shaped'to permit the insertion of the plug end in the receptacle but entering the end of the plug to hold the latter against reverse rotation, substantially as described.

v A lamp receptacle having a. screw connection with the inserted plug end of a lamp, and having a center contact, 'meansfor securing the latter in position in thereceptacle and a prong element projecting beyond and independent of said in position by ing a digging sertion of the enteringthe end of the plug tohold the latter against reverse rotation, substantially as described, i v

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specitloatiom; in the presence of 'two subscribing Witnesses.

' GILBERT- GOODRIDGE. .Witnesses:

H. M."Wronner,

L. FLYNN.

center contact but held plug end in the receptacle but 

